Papal envoy says U.S. must not be abandoned during Katrina recovery

Published: 2005-09-19

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- "The United States must not be abandoned" as it continues to recover from the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina and begins to grapple with the poverty revealed by the disaster, said a special papal envoy. Archbishop Paul Cordes, president of the Pontifical Council "Cor Unum," said after a four-day visit to affected areas in Louisiana and Mississippi that he was afraid "the superpower may isolate itself and stay isolated" in the wake of the natural disaster. As a sign of his personal solidarity, Pope Benedict XVI sent Archbishop Cordes to the United States Sept. 10-14 to meet with victims of the hurricane and with church and government officials. In a Sept. 17 interview with Vatican Radio, the archbishop said while he had seen "terrible scenes" during his visit he had also witnessed "gestures of great humanity."

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